Wire-stretcher



(NQO Model.) 1

' J. G. WALKER. WIRE STRETGHER.

No. 569,897. Patented Oct. 20, 1896'.

'- M Igxkgfor Wihyzsscs d bcj'e k C. WW I NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOSEPH GULTON \VALKER, OF LEWISTOVN, MONTANA.

WlRE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,897, dated October 20, 1896. Application filed July 14, 1896. Serial No. 599,121. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH CULroN WALK- ER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lewistown, in the county of Fergusand State of Montana, have invented a new and useful Wire-Stretcher, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in wire-stretchers.

Heretofore wire-stretchers have been constructed consisting of a lever provided with a curved portion to embrace or engage a fencepost and having a clamp adjacent to the inner terminus of the curved portion to hold a fence-wire. The curved portion, which was regularly curved, terminated at its outer end in a hook or point which has been found by experience to be liable to stick into large posts and retard or prevent the operation of the device and which would engage knots or other irregular portions of a post, and the clamp for holding the wire extended outward from the lever in a position which would prevent the lever from being swung entirely around the post should it be necessary to move the lever to that extent to tighten a fence-wire, and thereby necessitated a readjustment of the device with relation to the fence-wire in order to stretch the same to the desired extent. Furthermore, in this construction of wire-stretchers it has been found necessary to offset the wire-holding clamp a considerable distance from the fulcrum-point to the lever to prevent it from coming in contact with the fence-post, and this materially diminishes the power of the lever.

The object of the present invention is to obviate the above objections and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device capable of readily operating on posts of all diameters and adapted to be fulcrunied on the same contiguous to the wire-holding clamp in order to obtain the greatest possible power from the lever.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1. is a perspective view of a wire-stretcher constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating the manner of fulcruming the lever on the post. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view, taken longitudinally of the lever, illustrating the construction of the Wireholding clamp. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the wire-holding clamp, thecam-lever being swung outward to permit the introduction of a wire.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a lever consisting of a straight handle portion 2, a curved portion 3, adapted to engage a fence-post, and a straight extension 4, located at the outer end of the curved portion 3 and arranged in alinement with the straight handle portion of the lever. The lever is provided at the juncture of the straight portion 2 and the curved portion 3 with a depression or bend 5, in which is pivotally mounted a clamp 6 in order to bring the point of attachment of a fence-wire centrally of the lever, so as to produce a central draft to prevent the lever from twisting in the hands of the operator.

The wire-holding clamp consists of a baseplate 7, provided at one side with a substantially L-shaped flange 8 and a cam-lever 9, fulcrumed on the base-plate and adapted to clamp a fence-wire between it and the L- shaped flange 8. The base-plate is provided with a depending stud 10, forming a pivot and arranged in a perforation of the lever 1, and it has an upwardly-extending stud 11, formlngapivot for the cam-lever 9. he L-shaped flange 8 consists of a vertical portion and a horizontal portion extending inward from the top of the vertical portion and projecting over the base-plate. The vertical portion of the flange S is provided at its inner face with a series of teeth, and the head of the cam-lever is provided with corresponding serrations or teeth which cooperate with those of the flange 8. When the cam-lever is swung outward, as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings, its head is carried from beneath the overhanging or horizontal portion of the flange 8, and an open space is provided between it and the lever to enable wire to be readily introduced into the clamp. When the lever is in this position, it may be readily disengaged from the stud or pivot 11,

and when the lever is in engagement with the wire the inwardly-extending or horizontal portion of the flange 8 overlaps the adjacent portion of the head of the lever, retaining the wire in the clamp and preventing the lever from leaving the pivot 11.

The curved portion 3, which is adapted to engage or bear against a fence-post, has its inner part forming a portion of a circle, and the outer portion 12 has less curve to it, forming a wider space or recess for fence-posts and locating the extreme outer portion in a position that will clear ordinary fence-posts when the lever is fulcrumed against the latter at a point adjacent to the clamp. Should the 18"61 be fulcrumed against a fence-post of too great a diameter to fit within the curved portion 3, the extension & will form a bearing and will ride over the surface of the post and will not catch into the same or into a knot or other irregular portion and retard the movement of the lever, as would be the case were the curved portion to form a hook and were it not provided with an extension 4. The extension also enables the lever to be arranged in an inclined position in order that the operator may conveniently stretch the lower wires without stooping, and the extension, when the lever is in an inclined position, will ride over a fence-post and cannot catch into the same. It also increases the reach of the lever and its stretching capacity, and enables a wire of considerable length to be readily stretched to the desired tension.

1n stretching a fence-wire the extension at is first placed against the fence-post, and the wire to be stretched is secured in the clamp. The leveris gradually drawn around the post, moving on the same to lessen the distance between the post and the clamp and gradually increasing the power of the lever by lessening the short arm thereof as the tension of the fence-wire increases and the power is needed, and as the clamp does not materially project from the lever the latter can be fulcrumed on the post at a point contiguous to the clamp in order to obtain the greatest possible power from the lever. This arrangement of clamp will also enable the lever to be turned entirely around the post to stretch a fence-wire to the desired extent, as it cannot come in contact with the fence-post and interfere with the movement of the lever.

It will be seen that the device is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it'is positive and reliable in operation, and that it will enable a fence-wire to be readily stretched to the desired tension. Furthermore, it will be apparent that the lever is adapted to be fulcrumed on posts of all diameters, and is capable of riding freely over the same without catching into knots or other irregularities, and that the lever may be handled in a horizontal or an inclined position without the outer terminus of the curved portion catching into a post.

WVhat I claim is 1. A wire-stretcher, comprising a leverconsisting of a straight portion 2, a curved por' tion 3 and a straight extension located at the outer terminus of the curved portion and ar ranged in alinement with the straight portion, said curved portion consisting of a regularly-curved inner part and an irregularlycurved outer part, and the lever being provided at the juncture of its curved portion 3 and its straight portion 2 with a depression, and a wire-holding clamp pivotally mounted in the depression and located directly above the lever, whereby the clamp is prevented from coming in contact with the fence-post and a central-draft fence-lever is obtained, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A wire-stretcher comprising a lever provided with a perforation, and a clamp composed of a base-plate provided at one side with a substantially L-shaped flange having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion extending inward over the base-plate, astud depending from the lower face of the baseplate and arranged in the perforation of the lever, a pivot extending upward from the upper face of the base-plate, and a detachable cam-lever provided with a perforation receiving the pivot, the head of the cam-lever extending under the horizontal portion of the L-shaped flange of the base-plate, whereby the cam-lever is retained on the pivot, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH CULTON TALKER.

Witnesses:

M. E. CoRT, EDGAR G. WonnnN. 

